Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Dammam Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Dammam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,207 in Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,868 in Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,530 in Dammam.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 5% more expensive than Dammam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Dammam 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$6.73 SAR 25.28

76.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$40.67 SAR 153

5.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$7.79 SAR 29.26

36.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$3.64 SAR 13.67

-5.22%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 MX$26.24

$0.81 SAR 3.05

85.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.56

$0.30 SAR 1.14

216.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.4

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.01

$1.64 SAR 6.15

-15.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.02 SAR 3.82

81.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.11

$2.36 SAR 8.85

-31.78%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.26

$2.59 SAR 9.74

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$6.90 SAR 25.90

19.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$7.53 SAR 28.26

11.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$12.74 SAR 47.85

-16.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.89

$2.34 SAR 8.79

12.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.96

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-12.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.50

$1.57 SAR 5.90

22.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.41

$1.57 SAR 5.88

33.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.42

$1.23 SAR 4.61

51.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.47

$1.33 SAR 5.01

69.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.54

$1.37 SAR 5.13

-22.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.98

$0.58 SAR 2.19

87.93%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.93 SAR 10.99

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.84

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$7.25 SAR 27.22

-42.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.09

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

$1.08 SAR 4.06

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

$39.81 SAR 149

-32.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

$2.73 SAR 10.27

14.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

$1.91 SAR 7.15

31.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$13.59 SAR 51.0

-76.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.25

$0.60 SAR 2.24

111.67%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.4K MX$530.1K

$27.0K SAR 101.4K

12.42%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.6K MX$411.3K

$22.9K SAR 86.1K

2.75%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$83.0 MX$1,449

$106 SAR 399

-21.92%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.71 MX$396

$33.85 SAR 127

-32.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$514

$70.6 SAR 265

-58.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

$95.4 SAR 358

-46.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

$34.96 SAR 131

-47.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$14.40 SAR 54.1

-65.76%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$197 MX$3,444

$355 SAR 1,332

-44.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.1K

$7,665 SAR 28.8K

-31.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$644

$55.8 SAR 209

-33.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$696

$62.7 SAR 235

-36.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,396

$85.0 SAR 319

-5.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,561

$80.3 SAR 301

11.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

$430 SAR 1,613

122.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

$373 SAR 1,401

27.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

$874 SAR 3,283

88.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

$632 SAR 2,372

93.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

$1,778 SAR 6,677

120.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

$1,106 SAR 4,154

483.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.42

158.37%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Dammam: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $430 in Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $41.00 in Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $198 per month, with Dammam cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Playa del Carmen vs Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dammam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,906 in Playa del Carmen and $1,810 in Dammam to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $430 in Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,207 in Dammam – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dammam runs roughly 48% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,207 in Dammam versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dammam but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dammam is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Dammam are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dammam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.